The Battle Pike

Today the gang was finally near the next battle facility; the Battle Pike. Right now, they had finished up in a Pokémon center. Brock had to tend to his baby Bonsly who was hungry; Brock had become a real Pokémon parent now.

"I wonder how your brothers and sisters are doing with their baby Bonslys?" Ashlyn pondered.

"Well my mum and dad said it's like having more children," Brock chuckled, "but my brothers and sisters love their Bonslys a lot."

"Hey since we are heading for the Battle Pike, I wonder when Scott is going to turn up?" Ashlyn questioned.

"Well, he usually pops out of nowhere." Alain commented.

"That's a good question, Alain," Ashlyn agreed, "but he'll soon turn up. We are where the Battle Pike is anyway."

Just then Max turned up with May; May had been showing her newly hatched Eevee the ocean and explaining to it about Pokémon contests.

"Are we heading for the Battle Pike now?" Max asked.

Alain was just about to answer Max's question, but three women came up to the gang.

"Which one of you is Ashlyn Ketchum and Alain Sycamore, the challengers of the battle frontier?" asked a blond woman named Barbara.

"I'm Ashlyn Ketchum." Ashlyn answered.

"And I'm Alain Sycamore." Alain added.

"Are you here to guide us to the Battle Pike?" Ashlyn asked.

"Yes, Queen Lucy asked us to greet you and guide you to her." Barbara replied.

"Then I got here just in time." said a voice; it was Scott.

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The three women led Scott and the gang to the Battle Pike. The Battle Pike building was a temple, and it had a big picture of a Seviper on it. Ashlyn knew that a Seviper would probably be used in the battle. A woman with long black hair was standing outside the Battle Pike. Ashlyn recognized her as Lucy.

"Ashlyn, Alain this is the Battle Frontier of the Battle Pike Lucy, also known as the Pike Queen." Scott introduced Lucy.

Suddenly Brock was right in front of Lucy and held her hand, "Lucy, I can easily tell you have a strong and gentle spirit within your calm and sweet self!"

Max grabbed Brock by the ear and pulled him away, "Come on sparkle boy, her hands are for battling not holding."

Ashlyn easily noticed Lucy's blushed cheeks as she watched Brock get dragged away.

"So Lucy, Alain and I are here for a battle. Will you accept?" Ashlyn requested.

"Oh yes! Of course!" Lucy stuttered, slightly flustered.

Ashlyn and Alain also noticed this. The two glanced at each other and smiled. This meant that Brock and Lucy started to have little crushes with each other.

"I'm ready for the battle when you are, Lucy." Ashlyn said.

"So am I." Lucy admitted.

Then Lucy and everyone entered the Battle Pike.

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Inside the battlefield was a big pond with green patches. The referee explained the battle was a two-on-two Pokémon battle and declared the battle to begin.

Lucy sent out her first Pokémon, a Seviper. Ashlyn sent out Tantor (Dophan).

"Tantor, use Horn Attack!" Tantor charged towards Seviper.

"Seviper, use Poison Tail!" Seviper got ready to hit Tantor with Poison Tail.

"Quick use Iron Defense, Tantor!" Tantor's body turned into iron and blocked Seviper's Poison Tail attack.

"Okay Tantor, use Ice Shard!" Tantor fired ice shard and the ice shards hit Seviper. "Ice Shard again!" Tantor used Ice Shard again.

"Seviper, use Flamethrower!" Seviper used flamethrower and stopped the Ice Shard attack. "Now Seviper use Poison Tail!" Seviper used Poison Tail and hit Tantor.

Ashlyn could see that Lucy and her Seviper were good.

"All right Tantor, use Rollout!" Tantor rolled towards Seviper to tackle it, but Seviper dodged.

"Flamethrower!" Seviper blew Flamethrower at Tantor. The flamethrower did hit Tantor, but since Tantor was a ground type the flames didn't hurt him much. Tantor continued rolling and he tackled Seviper.

"Now use Ancient Power, Tantor!" Tantor fired Ancient Power and the attack hit Seviper. Seviper was getting hurt by the minute.

"Let's now finish this off with Giga Impact!" Ashlyn ordered.

"Use Poison Tail, Seviper!" Lucy countered.

Tantor charged towards Seviper and Seviper got its Poison Tail ready. The two Pokémon attacked each other with their attacks. But Tantor had more power than Seviper and Seviper fainted from the Giga Impact attack.

Ashlyn was the winner of the first round, but she still needed to defeat one more of Lucy's Pokémon to win. Lucy's last Pokémon was a Milotic.

Ashlyn returned Tantor and let out her second Pokémon, "Let's go, Tesla!"

"Raichu!" Tesla jumped onto the field.

"Tesla, use Charge!" Tesla started boosting up her electricity.

"Hydro Pump, Milotic!" Lucy ordered.

"Dodge that and use Thunderbolt, Tesla!" Tesla dodged Milotic's Hydro Pump attack before it could hit her, and then she electrocuted Milotic with Thunderbolt.

Thanks to Charge, Tesla's Thunderbolt was stronger than normal and Milotic got a lot of damage. Milotic was hurt but it was still willing to battle.

"Use Iron Tail, Milotic!" Lucy commanded.

"Go with Volt Tackle, Tesla!" Ashlyn countered.

Milotic and Tesla charged at each other with their attacks. After the two Pokémon strike each other with their attacks, Milotic fell down in defeat; that last electrical attack was too much for it to continue battling.

"Milotic is unable to battle! Tesla wins! And the victor is Ashlyn Ketchum from Pallet Town!" The referee announced.

"Way to go, Tesla!" Ashlyn beamed.

Tesla turned to Ashlyn and gave a peace sign, "Raichu!"

Lucy returned her Milotic and walked over to Ashlyn, "Ashlyn, that was a good battle. I have to admit that you kept me on edge." She admitted.

"I'm glad that you enjoyed it." Ashlyn said.

The two shook hands.

"You displayed tremendous strength, Ashlyn. You deserve such good friends." Lucy stated.

"Thank you, Lucy." Ashlyn thanked her.

"Here, your proof at winning at the Battle Pike, the Luck Symbol." Lucy held out the Luck Symbol to Ashlyn and placed it in Ashlyn's hand.

The Luck Symbol had a hexagon shape.

"Thank you, Lucy." Ashlyn smiled, "Alright, we got the Luck Symbol!" She posed with her Pokémon.

"Raichu! (Symbol number four!)" Tesla cheered.

Tantor trilled happily.

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Alain battled Lucy the next day. He used his Meowstic against Seviper and Manectric against Milotic. With a small struggle with his Meowstic against Seviper, but Meowstic was able to beat the Poison type Pokémon. In the end, Alain had won against Lucy and was given the Luck symbol.

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"Remember Ashlyn, Alain, your next challenge will take place at the Battle Palace." Scott informed.

"Thanks, Scott." Ashlyn and Alain thanked him.

Max opens the PokéNav, "Okay that's on Metallica Island which is a little past Seafoam Island." He informed.

"Oh that's great! We haven't traveled by sea in a long time." May added.

Brock held Lucy's hands in his, "My dear Queen Lucy, would you consider travelling by sea with me, my sweet?" He asked.

Lucy's cheeks were blushed pink at the moment.

"Together on this journey we call life, we all need that special someone don't we?" Brock asked.

At that moment, Max grabbed Brock's ear, "That job's filled. That's what I'm here for, buddy boy, remember?"

Ashlyn, Alain and May chuckled at that.

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So, by the end of the day Ashlyn and Alain had won their fourth symbol. Now they were on their way to another Pokémon Contest, where Ashlyn and May will get their next ribbon.

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Pokémon Caught: Shiny Arcanine (Sonia)(F), Magby (Fuji)(M)